1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to configuration and administration of system components using World Wide Web (WWW) technology. In particular, this invention provides a plurality of instances of web server, with one of them being preconfigured for this administration function to allow web browsers to configure web-configurable components.
2. Background Art
The IBM AS/400 system traditionally uses 5250 terminal protocol to configure and administer system components, such as start or stop a server, change functional attributes, authorize users, and so forth. This 5250 terminal protocol requires a 5250 terminal or 5250 emulator that is known as a green screen display. A graphical user interface (GUI) presents to a user a much more user-friendly interface than a green screen display, and there is a need in the art to provide a graphical user interface for system configuration and administration functions.
It is quite common today for any system to have a web server that hosts some site or sites. Such sites provide web content that is made available to web browsers. In general the goals of an enterprise with such a site are typical business goals that pertain to return on investment or customer satisfaction. Typically, such an enterprise has system sites that deal with business applications (such as an electronic shopping mall), or information sites (such as the company""s product specifications, or employee benefit plans). These sites share in common the protocols that make web browsing possible. These include use of the HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) and HyperText Markup Language (HTML), a Common Gateway Interface (CGI) that allows system administrators to write dynamic web applications, and the content itself, that is the HTML files, images, java applets, wave (audio) files, or other multimedia resources known to (that is, accessible by) browsers.
Some servers have the ability to manage other servers. However, systems today do not have multiple copies of those servers, and there is a need in the art for an administration server capable of managing multiple copies or instances of servers.
Further, there is a need in the art for an administration Internet connection server (ICS) that is a web (HTTP) server for serving a specialized set of applications that provide for configuration and administration of web enabled system components. These system components can be anything on an enterprise or site system that have an application written for and served by an administration server for the purpose of being configured by a web browser.
However, for security purposes, this administration Internet connection server must not share commonality with other ICS HTTP server(s) serving the web content that is made available by the site system to web browsers. Such an administration server preferably allows a user to configure certain aspects of the server, such as access and error logging, or the ability to run secure HTTP transactions (also referred to as HTTPs). However, this administration server must be controlled with respect to serving its content to browsers irrespective of such configuration by the user.
Further, there exists the need in the art to provide an administration Internet connection server (also referred to as an administration server) which is isolated from and therefore does not detract in any way from other, or xe2x80x9cnormalxe2x80x9d, HTTP server(s) at the site, and does not impose any requirements that the system use its xe2x80x9cnormalxe2x80x9d web server(s) for what is considered system administration and configuration. It is particularly important that any changes the site makes to configuration of its xe2x80x9cnormalxe2x80x9d HTTP server(s) (good or bad) cannot affect the configuration of the administration server. Furthermore, it is a requirement that any heavily loaded xe2x80x9cnormalxe2x80x9d web server(s) at a site will not affect performance of the administration server, and conversely, the act of using the administration server, that is configuring and administering some system component, will not have any effect of the performance of other HTTP server(s) at the site.
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved administration server.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an administration server which serves administration and configuration applications to a browser""s graphical user interface.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an administration server which serves to a browser capability for administering and configuring web enabled system components.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved administration server which is isolated from other servers at the site.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved administration server which is isolated from other servers at the site such that loading of either does not adversely impact the other.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved administration server which enables the management of multiple copies or instances of servers.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an administration server implemented as a browser.
In accordance with the invention, a system and a method are provided for serving HTML pages to web browsers for the purpose of administration and configuration. A plurality of instances of WWW servers is provided, with one such instance including a configuration file which is restricted in usage and not alterable by way of any HTML configuration or administration forms.
Other features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.